New member - gathering info!

[ssledoux]

Hi. I don’t remember if I posted an intro when I signed up, and I haven’t been active, but I’m new here, and just trying to gather information about small, lightweight campers I can pull with my Subaru Outback.

So far I’ve looked at Scamps, A-liners, and pro-lites, but am open to suggestions and ideas, so I am on these forums looking for any information I can get!

I am hoping to purchase early next year (paying for a wedding this year).

Looking forward to being on here and learning all I can!

[FlyGuy]

Welcome Stacey! You don't mention the year of your Subaru Outback.For a few years, Subaru did NOT recommend towing with a Subaru. Some models did have a "Subaru authorized" tow rating. Before buying ANY trailer, I'd recommend you determine what (if any) tow capacity your Subaru has ACCORDING TO SUBARU (some ratings were as low as 1000#). That said, if YOUR Subaru has a tow rating of 3500#, a fiberglass Casita or Scamp in the 13', 16' and 17' lengths might be possible (Olivers will be too heavy). I had a 2010, 17' Casita Spirit Deluxe Travel Trailer I bought new and, the 2004 Toyota Sienna Minivan handled it without problems (my 2010 Casita weighed in at about 2500#; the Sienna had a 3500# tow rating). I DID have to upgrade to a Class-3 Weight Distributing Hitch (back then, Toyota installed Class-2) and, after the first trip, I added airbags to boost the rear springs. I used that little "egg" for about four years logging over 50,000 miles before "graduating" to a Class-7 HDT (Heavy Duty Truck) based Super-C Class diesel puller motorhome (which I've been using now for six+ years). Take a look at Larry & Debbie Gamble's www.LittleHouseCustoms.com and Eileen Glick's Love My Casita. Eileen's book "A to Z Casita Owner's Guide" is a GREAT resource and, much of the information therein applies to other fiberglass trailers. Casita's and other similar brands are WONDERFUL little trailers and, they're a GREAT way to "test the waters" without spending a fortune. If you haven't already done so, find and attend an RV Boot Camp (which may currently be impossible due to Covid19). I recently read that the Escapees RV Club will, for the first time, run their RVBC as a VIRTUAL class. Chuck Woodbury's www.RVTravel.com is another excellent source and, I believe he recently started a Facebook pace for RV newbies. RVBC graduates are safer RVers and, smarter RV buyers. Again, WELCOME!
Regards,
John

Subaru Towing information page

[Megala M]

Hi! I may have a really cute 13 ft Scamp in great condition that you might consider. She’s old (1977) and has no grey or black tanks as and only weighs 900 lbs. She’s really adorable but needs a new owner.

[RSchleder]

Welcome Stacey!
Your on a great "mission" with tons of fun ahead of you. You are being very wise by doing your due diligence before purchasing your first camper. So many folks jump into the RV life without doing their research and find out they spent a lot of money on the wrong camper or camping is not what they expected.
We've been camping since 1970, starting in a popup (4 kids and a small dog) and have owned a total of 12 RV's during the years since. We've owned 3 diesel pushers, 2 popups, 3 travel trailers and other units such as a Class B Winnebago ERA as well as our 13' Scamp deluxe.
We ordered our Scamp in 2007 and have held on to it even when we owned several larger RV's. I was a proponent of selling it many times and my wife would not hear of it. Since we have indoor storage on our property the Scamp still looks brand new. We sold our 33' travel trailer a couple of months ago as we're both turning the 80 years old corner and you won't believe how happy I am to still own that wonderful lil trailer. it's exactly what I want to be towing these days.
Good luck on our quest. There's a ton of knowledge on this forum and great folks more than willing to help you and answer your questions.
At one time, you could find a book "RV'ing for Dummies" which was a really good resource for new, or potentially new, camper owners!
Good luck and keep asking questions!!

[thrifty bill]

While gathering information, be sure to search repairs by brand. That way, you will become an expert at potential issues and problems, be a world class inspector, and avoid buying a problem.

Every brand has its own unique potential shortcomings. Becoming knowledgeable BEFORE you buy is so much better than AFTER. I see too many postings of the latter, where someone reports "I didn't know brand XYZ had this issue!" Most of these "surprise" issues were well documented in lengthy repair postings.

I inspected two Trilliums before buying #3. Thanks to the experts on this forum, I avoided disaster, found major extremely hard to repair defects. Of course, both of those trailers sold to unsuspecting buyers a few days later. I did not read brand new threads, instead I went to the manufacturers section, clicked on brands, and studied up.

[Larry C Hanson]

Hello,

Be sure to check this out as part of your decision process:

https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...rld-43010.html

Good Luck. Eggs are fun!

Uncle Larry

[bsedwebt]

For cars with 3500lbs capacity you need to think about tongue weight too. The TOTAL CARGO CAPACITY of your car can be found on the white/yellow sticker in the driver door jamb that shows the picture of a tire. It will list TOTAL weight that should never be exceeded and it will usually be used up before the towing capacity will. MOST cars like this have about 1000lbs TOTAL cargo weight. That means ANYTHING you have added to the car or truck since it rolled off the assembly line (EXCLUDES full tank of gas, full fluids, etc.) That MEANS - the napkin in your glove box, added on body side trim, added on mud flaps, YOU, YOUR PASSENGERS, your clothes, shoes, camping stuff in the back, THE HITCH ITSELF (if not installed at the factory), THE DRAW BAR, THE CHAINS, THE HITCH PIN, THE HITCH WEIGHT, etc... The hitch weight SHOULD BE at least 12% of the LOADED trailer weight to avoid DANGEROUS SWAY on the highway. SO - The DRY weight given on a camper should be on the sticker on the left front. THAT is the DRY weight of the camper AS IT ROLLED OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE. That does NOT include ANY WATER, FLUIDS, ADDED ON OPTIONS, CAMPING ITEMS, ETC... SO - if the DRY weight is 2000lbs - you can keep a running total in your mind about what is going IN the trailer and then distribute the weight of those items to get 12% (AT LEAST) tongue weight you will easily get to 3000lbs loaded weight with 360lbs tongue weight in this example. NOW look at your car sticker - say 1000lbs total cargo weight and subtract from that number 360lbs tongue weight, about 60lbs for the hitch, ball, chains, draw bar (if the hitch WAS FACTORY INSTALLED only subtract for 10lbs) to get an idea of where you will need to be in loading the car safely. Keep in mind - the LONGER the draw bar the MORE you will have to subtract as it pulls the center of gravity further to the rear of the vehicle - there are separate maximum ratings for the front cargo capacity of a vehicle and for rear cargo capacity but we will keep it simple as most rear capacities will account for this situation. SO - now back to the example - we now have 460lbs of the 1000lbs cargo capacity used up giving us 580lbs of useable cargo capacity in the car for the fully clothed driver and passenger weight and ANYTHING else that is in the vehicle or added on to the vehicle since the car came off the assembly line. That being said the most popular trailer that can be towed safely behind a 3500 tow capacity car is a 13' STANDARD Scamp with the front bathroom decked out in reasonable options and loaded carefully. The Scamp is cute as button and the STANDARD version (red stripes with fiberglass cabinets) with the big bed and front bath option is great for 2 people even if fairly tall. It is lighter than a Casita and most others. It tows well. Easy to camp in. Easy to set up. Has everything you need. It has a very high used resale value and sells immediately if in reasonable condition and priced accordingly. That being said a NEW one can reasonably loaded in the mid teens $$. It takes a few months to build and is only sold by the factory in MN. They are an honest and reputable company that will take a reasonable deposit. They will very likely still be in business when it is done (unlike some brands that have gone away recently) and they will deliver on time. I say all this because I have personally researched LOTS of trailers. BY THE WAY - I am NOT as Scamp owner nor do I have ANY affiliation or financial interest in them. I own a 17' Casita 17' Deluxe purchased new 10/21/15 in Rice, TX and we LOVE our Casita - it has been all over 60-75 days a year camping and has never failed us in any way. It is the right camper for us but we also chose to get a separate tow vehicle that is probably overkill that is used almost exclusively to tow.

[RogerDat]

I seem to recall some of the Subaru's did have a unexpectedly low tongue weight for the towing weight they stated.

As in the tow capacity was 3,500 lbs. but the hitch was only able to have 250 pounds. That 250 lbs. is not enough weight forward on a 3,500 lb. trailer. There should be about 10% of the total trailer weight on the hitch or the trailer will not be stable going down the road.

Thing will wiggle it's back end if not enough weight is forward on the tongue. That sway can cause one to lose control so is best avoided.

So there were Subaru's that could tow 1000 lbs. more than they could safely tow at 55 mph given only 250 lb. hitch capacity for 3,500 tow capacity. Well below the 10% tongue weight.

Also as someone else mentioned there is a GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) capacity for how much people and cargo weight it can handle. The hitch weight goes against that. So if you have 250 lbs. of hitch weight or 250 lbs. of gear. Or 250 lbs. of people it all goes against that GVW limit. Might need to weigh vehicle loaded as for a trip or at least be aware of how many people or how much gear is going in the tow vehicle.

I load my Escape (V6 3500# tow capacity) with gear. I have a luggage box on the roof rack for a couple of chairs and awning poles etc. Food and cooler plus ice water jug inside the vehicle. With only two people and a couple of dogs we stay under that GVW if I were to take people instead of dogs and they brought some clothes and more food.... I could get close to max GVW with the 10% tongue weight of a Scamp 13. It is like having an extra person in the vehicle. Depending on trailer it is a small, average, or larger person. :-)